


I've changed, haven't I?

by nonna



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, DCU
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Batbrothers (DCU) Bonding, Damian Wayne Needs Love, Damian Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Light Angst, Tim Drake is So Done, mentions of avatar the last airbender, zuko and damian parallels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:34:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25134724
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nonna/pseuds/nonna
Summary: Tim is in charge of babysitting Damian for a night. Neither of them is happy about it, of course, but maybe it doesn't have to end up badly.In which Tim plays Avatar: The Last Airbender for Damian, and Damian takes it the wrong way.
Relationships: Bruce Wayne & Damian Wayne, Tim Drake & Damian Wayne
Comments: 17
Kudos: 292





	I've changed, haven't I?

**Author's Note:**

> Another batfam fic... so soon... it's wild.

“He doesn’t need babysitting, Bruce,” Tim argued, crossing his arms in defiance. 

“I _don’t_ need babysitting, Father,” Damian agreed. He looked at Tim, then copied his gesture, crossing his arms and huffing back at his father. “I am fine on my own, you know that. I don’t need Drake’s useless form to keep me safe.”

Bruce let out a frustrated exhale. “Alfred and Dick will be coming with me. Only the two of you will be at the manor, so I expect for you to look out for each other. Do you understand? You will _not_ argue me with this one. I just need you to get along for one night, can you do that?”

Each of the boys mumbled something under their breath, shrugging.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. “We have security cameras, you know. I _will_ know if you decide to go off on your own, Damian, and if you do, I will ground you from patrol for two weeks. I am asking you to, for once, behave like normal brothers while we’re gone. I really don’t want to have to worry about any more trouble while I’m away. That is an _order_ , Damian.”

“ _Fine_ ,” Damian spat out. “I will stay with Drake. Only for tonight. Although, I don’t understand why you will not just let the two of us go out on patrol on our own, we can handle our–– _I_ can handle myself.”

Bruce raised an eyebrow.

“Alright, Bruce. I’ll watch over the demon brat. But if he does anything, and I mean _anything_ , you can’t blame me for it. You know I have no control over him.”

“Of course you don’t, you’re weak and untrained and––”

“Enough,” Bruce snapped. He let out an exhausted sigh. “Try your best, Tim. Damian, behave.”

“Fine, Father.”

“If you behave exceptionally well, I will take you to the art museum in Metropolis this weekend. How does that sound?” Bruce offered.

Tim snickered. If Bruce thought that would work on the brat––

Damian’s eyes lit up, however, and he smiled. “Really? Can we invite Jon to come along?”

“Of course.”

“I will have to respect Drake for tonight, then. I promise.”

Tim watched in disbelief.

“Good. You boys take care. Only contact me in case of an emergency, alright?” Bruce said, sliding on his shoes. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

“See ya, Bruce,” Tim said as Bruce left, shutting the door behind him.

Damian lifted his chin (he pretended it was to look more menacing, but Tim honestly believed it was because he was too short to look at Tim without having to tilt his head back) and looked at Tim expectantly. “Well, Drake, what are you doing?”

“I have work to do. I’m sure you do, too. Maybe we can just work in the batcave or upstairs in the manor.”

“I am hungry.”

“So go make yourself some food.”

“I don’t know how to cook.”

“Right. Because you’re an entitled prince.”

“Because I’m _ten,_ ” Damian scoffed. “But furthermore, because I had no reason to learn. You grew up rich, too. Do not pretend as though you had to learn to do any housework when you were a child.”

Tim sighed. The brat was right. “Whatever. Let’s go get a snack, then do some work.”

They made their way to the kitchen. Damian was either determined to make Tim go insane by playing the role of the needy little brother, or he was genuinely trying his best to ‘behave’ so Bruce would take him to the museum in a few days. Either way, Tim knew it was going to be a long night ahead of them. He would send Damian to bed, but… well, it was too early for one, but he also knew better than to push his luck that far.

He supposed it was better than having to deal with a moody, disobedient brat however, so he wouldn’t complain.

“You don’t eat cheese, do you?” He asked, opening the fridge.

“I’m a vegetarian, not a vegan. Yes, I eat cheese,” Damian answered with a roll of his eyes.

“I’ll make us bagels, then.”

Damian considered it, then nodded. “That would suffice.”

God, he was insufferable. It would ‘suffice’.

Whatever. It was one night. Tim could do it.

Once they ate their bagels, and Tim had cleaned up after himself (he wouldn’t leave the mess for Alfred), he gestured for Damian to follow him. “You got homework or something?”

“No,” Damian said, hopping off his chair. “It’s summer. I do not have school.”

“Oh. Maybe you can work on one of the cases, then.”

Damian nodded. “I can, but truthfully, I do not want to.”

“Then find something to do,” Tim said. “I’m going to go work in the upstairs family room. I’ll bring my laptop and go there. You bring something to do, too.”

“Fine.”

* * *

When Tim entered the family room some twenty minutes later, he found Damian sitting on the floor, his back against one of the couches. He had a sketchbook in his lap, with a box of watercolours and brushes laid out next to him. 

“You’re going to do some art?” He asked.

“Yes. I am unsure of what to draw, however.”

Tim shrugged, taking a seat on the same couch Damian was leaning against. He should have been smarter, perhaps, and kept some space between himself and the brat, but… It felt cozier, he supposed. He set down his laptop, unlocking it, and made himself comfortable.

“Draw a cartoon character or something, I don’t know.”

“I don’t watch _cartoons_ , Drake. That is for children.”

“Oh, sorry, I forgot you were eighteen,” Tim remarked sarcastically.

“Tt…”

They sat in silence for another half an hour or so, Tim working away on some files for Wayne Enterprises. He had a lot of work to do––not just for the company, but also for some of the cases they had been trying to crack recently. Truthfully? He was a little glad he wasn’t going out patrolling tonight. As much as he loved it, having some nights in and getting some work done was necessary.

“Is this why you’re so excited to go the art museum?” Tim asked suddenly, looking at Damian’s progressing drawing. It was a watercolour drawing with a mixture of reds and yellows. Tim couldn’t quite make out the subject in the drawing, but maybe it was just supposed to be abstract.

Damian looked up at him then back down, a bit shyly. “I find it very intriguing. There is so much depth in art, and a lot to analyze and study. In a way, it is like doing detective work––”

“Damian, you’re allowed to just enjoy things, you know. You don’t have to justify it. Although, I do agree that it’s cool to find depth and meaning in art. I’ve never been too good at it myself… Not much of an artist or whatever.”

“You were a photographer,” Damian noted. “In a way, that’s art.”

Huh. Maybe he was right.

“I guess.”

Damian pushed himself to stand up, and brought his work in progress to Tim. “What do you see in this drawing?”

Tim studied it for a second before reaching out and grabbing it. He looked at it more closely, noting the mix of hues. It was very vibrant, very loud and somewhat noisy. It almost made him uncomfortable, anxious. Tim liked precise, detailed work. 

“It’s a mess,” he said. 

That––that came out wrong. Damian’s face immediately fell, and his shoulders dropped. 

“No, I mean, I see a mess in it. Like, it’s loud and noisy, you know?” Tim continued, trying to better explain his thoughts. “I don’t know. It’s like fire, in a way. It’s vibrant and bright, but also scary. Loose.”

“To me it is calming,” Damian said. 

“Fire, or the drawing?”

“Both. The drawing represents what I see in the fire, thus the colours. It is vibrant and strong, but also peaceful if you utilize it and keep it under control.”

“Huh. You sound like a fucking firebender.”

“A what?”

Tim put down the drawing and looked up at Damian, raising his eyebrows. “You never saw Avatar?”

“The movie with blue people? Yes, Dick made me watch it. It was fine.”

“No, the Last Airbender. It’s a––don’t kill me––cartoon. But it’s _legendary_ , everyone has watched it. Plus, everyone who watched it has loved it. Damian… if I pass any of my legacy down to you, it will be this.”

“You have no legacy,” Damian retorted, raising eyebrow. “I want you to pass nothing down to me, least of all a cartoon.”

Tim got up, pushing past Damian and grabbing the remote. He turned the smartTv onto Netflix, and searched for Avatar: The Last Airbender. He could practically feel Damian rolling his eyes behind him, but he paid him no mind. He had a mission, and he would accomplish it: he will introduce Damian to Avatar.

Besides, they were stuck together for the rest of the night. He needed to keep Damian busy somehow while he continued his work (not that Damian would have trouble keeping himself busy, but, you know). Tim smiled. An added bonus was irritating Damian by making him do exactly what any normal child his age would do in this situation: sit and watch TV while being babysat.

It was a win-win situation for Tim.

“Drake,” Damian whined. He _whined_. “I don’t want to watch such silly things!”

Tim ignored him, raising his arms so the remote was too high for Damian to reach. Of course, Damian could tackle him or disarm him to take the remote back, but… “If you don’t cooperate, I _will_ tell Bruce that you caused me trouble and did not behave exceptionally. Your choice. Watch a silly cartoon and go to the art museum with much valued time with your own father and friend, or give me trouble and kiss all of that goodbye?”

Damian crossed his arms angrily, his eyebrows furrowing in the way they often did when he was irritated. He pouted. _Pouted._ God, this was so entertaining for Tim. The brat never listened to him or gave a shit about his threats. How was this actually working?

Damian had changed a lot, he supposed, since he had joined the family. He and Tim were hardly friendly to each other, let alone acted like siblings, so Tim hadn’t paid him much mind or noticed any of the changes in his behaviour. But he _had_ changed, hadn’t he? He was clinging onto the idea of spending a day with Bruce like it was the rarest, most prized opportunity. He wanted to take his friend, Jon, along with them. 

The idea of Damian desperately wanting something so mundane, so absurdly normal, was shocking in itself. Hell, Damian had even refused to work on the cases and had chosen to sit by Tim’s side and do some artwork instead.

When had this even happened?

“Alright. I will watch the stupid show,” Damian huffed, climbing onto the couch next to where Tim had been sitting. “But you _cannot_ mock me for it. I am only allowing you to treat me like a stupid child because I promised Father I would behave. However, to make it clear, it is rather killing me on the inside to have to bite my tongue and keep my disappointment to myself.”

“How nice of you,” Tim said, returning to his seat. He increased the volume on the tv, then pressed play. For the next minute, he watched the introduction to the show, a feeling of nostalgia washing over him. When he threw a glance towards Damian, he noticed that the angry expression had disappeared off the demon’s face, replaced by genuine interest. 

“You know, no one would mock you for enjoying this,” Tim murmured.

Damian looked at him briefly before turning his attention back to the tv. 

“I’m serious. You’re allowed to enjoy normal things. Even Bruce loves this show, and look how old he is.”

“I’m not expected to act like a child,” Damian replied, refusing to look at Tim. “I am above that.”

“Above what?” Tim asked, pausing the tv. “Above letting yourself be a normal kid sometimes and having fun? Even if you weren’t a kid, you’d be allowed to have some fun in your life. You act like having a regular hobby or interest is embarrassing, but guess what? Not everything you do has to be for some… skill or mission. It’s hard to believe it because, well, our lives are so fucking serious, I know.”

Damian shook his head. “No, I was _punished_ for being a child. It shows weakness, Drake. Time is precious. You cannot waste it on foolish endeavours. That is what my mother always told me.”

“Well, your mom was wrong. You know that by now.”

Damian shrugged.

“You _know_ that, right? The way she raised you was wrong, Damian. Bruce doesn’t expect the same of you.”

“He _does_ ,” Damian pressed. “If I am not perfect, then he… will become angry.”

“He gets frustrated, maybe, but he would never hurt you.”

“He yells at me if I make any mistakes during patrol,” Damian said, curling into himself. He looked ashamed. “And I never behave accordingly to what he expects outside of patrol, either. I don’t understand who he wants me to be. Mother may have been wrong in her expectations, but at least she was clear in what she wanted. Father is not like that. He is never clear in what he wants. I never know what will anger him.”

Tim watched Damian for a few seconds. First of all––wow, had Damian just… opened up to him? He almost wanted to pinch himself to check if it was real. Second of all, Damian was actually right. Now that he thought about it, Tim realized that Bruce was far more harsh with Damian than he was with any of them as Robin, despite being the youngest of them. Honestly, Tim would have been more harsh––the kid was a trained assassin, raised to have no heart or emotion, to mindlessly focus on his goal and achieve it regardless of who he may hurt on the way. 

Bruce _had_ to be harsh with him, because Damian was difficult. He never listened, he never behaved. He constantly fought everyone else, talked down to them, threatened them. If it were up to Tim, he would never have even taken the kid in.

But somehow, hearing these words from him––Damian’s confusion was evident. It made sense, too. Talia had used punishment in order to train Damian since birth. She and her father needed him to be their vessel, the warrior who would lead the League to victory. Her expectations for him were set from the minute he was born.

Bruce hadn’t wanted Damian. He hadn’t even expected his existence. So, naturally, he could not know what he wanted to do with the child. He wanted him to be a skilled Robin, like his predecessors, who could work with him and cooperate easily. But he also wanted him to behave like a normal person, to somehow have the social and emotional skills any regular person would have. 

Only, Damian hadn’t exactly had a chance to learn any of that, had he?

Tim shook his head. No, there was _no way_ he was sympathizing with the brat. No way. This was all probably just an act, anyway. The kid was hardly ever genuine in his feelings, anyway. He was being manipulative.

“Bruce just wants to see you get along with everyone. On and off the field. He’s really not asking much of you.”

“I don’t know how,” Damian admitted, tilting his head. He looked at Tim. “Even when I think I am being reasonable and kind, everyone assumes I am being vile and problematic.”

“Don’t play stupid. You know how to be nice. You can play the role when we’re playing our public personas, can’t you?”

“But that is not me. That is a different person I am expected to play––” He came to a sudden pause. “Everyone truly expects me to be that way?”

Tim shrugged. “You know how to play nice, you just choose not to.”

Damian mulled over his words for a few seconds before turning away. He brought his legs up, hugging one knee to his chest. “Well, will you play this silly show or not?”

Tim exhaled sharply, and pressed play. He tuned out the show as he returned to his work, focusing on the numbers at hand. Damian said nothing in further complaint, so Tim figured he was fine for now. Whatever kept him busy and quiet was good enough for Tim.

Twelve or so episodes into the show, Damian suddenly snapped at Tim. “Are you playing this show to remind me of your hatred for me?”

Tim looked up from his screen, raising an eyebrow. “What the fuck do you mean?”

“This man,” Damian said, pointing to the screen. His fingers trembled a bit. “You are playing this show to tell me that I am like him, aren’t you? That I am evil and that I am here to ruin your life even though you are the clear heroes?”

Tim closed his eyes. “Literally, what the fuck are you on about?”

“Zuko! His father is warmonger, a vile villain, a––a destroyer! And Zuko is following his orders and trying to impress him so he can live up to his standards. He would even be willing to kill the avatar to do so!”

“Yes, and? How does that have to do with us?”

“I am like him. Except––except it is my grandfather. And I am like Zuko, aren’t I? I am here to destroy your heroic team just so I can live up to the standards of my horrendous family?”

Tim shut his laptop and stood up straight. “Damian,”

Damian’s hands turned into fists by his sides. His eyes were wide and–– _hurt_.

What the hell?

“He’s rash, harsh and rude. He doesn’t respect his own uncle who is trying to provide him with help and guidance. He is so focused on his legacy and honour that––that he––”

“And he’s a fictional character,” Tim said calmly, unsure of how to handle the panicking brat. How the fuck had Damian gotten so triggered by watching _Zuko_ , of all people? Although, now that he mentioned the similarities…

“But we have similarities. This is what you are trying to show me. I know you hate me, and you wish I had never joined this family or taken your title or ruined _everything_. You always say that I hate you, butit is you who hates me more. You are just better at hiding it.”

Tim _did_ hate Damian. He had no reason to like him.

“You made my life a living hell!” Tim snapped back. “What the fuck did you expect? That I would suddenly take you into my arms and kiss you goodnight? You tried to kill me. You are _never_ kind to me, you’re just––you’re just an asshole who can’t stop judging other people. Don’t act like I have no reason to hate you.”

Damian flinched at his words.

Why was he acting so surprised? None of this was new. They both knew this to be the truth.

“None of this is new information. You and I both know it, and we don’t exactly hide it from anyone else. The difference is that I know how to keep my mouth shut and control my temper because I’m not an entitled brat.”

“You’re right,” Damian said, standing up. “I’m an entitled brat who does not know how to be a normal, loved child. I am just an asshole who cannot control his temper and who hurts everyone around him in the process of trying to accomplish his legacy!”

“Yeah, you’re exactly that!”

“So there is no reason in pretending to be nice. There is no reason to put up an act. Everyone hates me, everyone knows that I am volatile and rude and evil, and that I will hurt them.”

“Because you _do_ hurt us, Damian. Don’t play innocent now.”

Damian inhaled sharply, clenching his jaw. “You could have just told me all of this instead of making me watch a stupid kid’s cartoon to throw jabs at me.”

“I wasn’t trying to. You’re just so wrapped up in yourself that you think everything is about you and for you. Jesus Christ, I was just trying to get you to watch a fucking _cartoon_ , Damian. A good, iconic, legendary show. I didn’t even _think_ of the similarities between you and Zuko. But you know what? The difference between the two of you is that Zuko has secretly always been good and kind, and doesn’t enjoy any of this. You? You don’t _want_ to change.”

Damian stormed out of the room.

* * *

An hour passed, and Tim could not shake away the odd feeling in his abdomen. He had gone off at Damian, but… it was customary. It was normal. Damian had said far more hurtful things to him in the past, and even recently. Why had he gotten so distressed this time?

Tim didn’t want to feel bad. He really didn’t.

But he did.

He set aside his laptop and made his way over to Damian’s room. 

He knocked on the door once, then twice when he received no answer. After the third knock, Damian answered.

“What do you want, Drake?”

“Can I come in?”

When Damian didn’t answer, Tim just took it as a yes. He opened the door, stepping into the bedroom. Damian was sitting on his bed, Titus laying over his legs. Damian was petting the dog who, Tim noted, had actually grown a lot bigger. 

Why did it feel like Tim had been away from the manor––and from Damian––for years? He hadn’t even _left_ the place.

“Look, Damian––”

“Don’t.”

Tim sighed, making his way over to the bed. He crossed his arms. “I just wanted to say––”

“Don’t, Drake. You don’t have to clarify anything. Everything you said was right. I _know_ it’s right. I would like to pretend it’s not, but it is. Perhaps I should take your advice and take to playing the role of the innocent child past the public gatherings and into our daily life. If that is the way for me to learn to change, then so be it.”

“You did change. I know I said you can’t, and won’t, but you already did. You changed a lot.”

Damian shook his head. “Do not take back your words. You had every right to say what you did.”

“Yeah? And a year ago, you would have probably slit my throat for even saying any of that. Now you’ve taken my words in and you’re reflecting over them. You’re trying to understand why I said what I said. You wouldn’t have done that before.”

“Because I was rash,” Damian said. “And I believed you to be my enemy. I believed killing you would be the only way to remove you as my competition.”

“And now you don’t want to?”

“Of course not,” Damian snapped. “Richard and Father would be far too upset if I killed you. I would not do that to them.”

“For Dick and Bruce. Got it.” 

Damian nodded, holding Titus a little closer.

“You know, Zuko really does get a lot better. He struggles a bit between trying to find his own voice over the voices of his father and uncle, but he eventually finds it. And he realizes his destiny wasn’t to live up to whatever legacy his dad had set up for him, but what _he_ knew he was meant to do. And… maybe you will, too.”

Damian’s eyes widened a bit as he took in Tim’s words.

“Do you wanna watch more of it, to see how he figures it all out?”

Damian remained silent for a few seconds before nodding again. “Although you have spoiled his story for me, I would like to see how it plays out.”

“I’ll make popcorn?”

“That would be acceptable.”

“Good. I’ll see you back in the family room. You can bring Titus, too.”

* * *

“Okay, I think it’s time you head to bed,” Tim said, exhausted. They had binge watched the remainder of the first season as well as the entire second season. Though Tim was used to staying up an ungodly number of hours every day, he found himself getting rather sleepy, and instead of making another coffee… maybe he would just take the cue to go rest. They were not going out, after all.

Damian had been commentating the show non stop, too, and Tim was beginning to get a bit of a headache from focusing his work while having Damian and the show in the background.

“But Aang!” Damian protested. “I have to see what happens to him.”

“You can see it tomorrow.”

“But Father will be back tomorrow!”

“And?”

“We will have patrol. And I want to finish it _now_.”

“No.”

“Drake! I need to see what happens.”

Tim shook his head and turned off tv. “We’ll watch it tomorrow. I’m getting tired.”

“Since when do you care for sleep?”

“Since now.”

Damian let out a frustrated sigh. Then, he said: “I think I would make a skilled fire-bender.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes!” Damian jumped––literally, jumped––off the couch and into a warrior’s stance. He began to do a performative illustration of various fighting stances. “The fighting techniques and stances I have learned in both the League and as Robin wouldgreatly qualify me for this. I can ground myself and summon fire and––” he jumped and kicked, then landed smoothly on the other side of the room, “––there! The enemy is down!”

Tim rubbed at his temples. “Wonderful technique. Fire, though? Bruce would ground you for hurting people so easily.”

“I could use it sparingly, and without severely harming anyone, I’m sure.”

Tim shrugged.

“You are a waterbender. You are calculated and quiet. Todd is a firebender, no doubt. Grayson is an airbender. Father is the avatar.”

Tim snorted. “Bruce is a nonbender, are you kidding?”

Damian considered it for a second, then nodded. “That is true. Superman is an earthbender.”

“Oh, come on. The guy really doesn’t need more powers than he already has.”

“Oh. That is true as well.”

“But you’re right about everybody else. I would definitely be a waterbender.”

“Yes. Perhaps Alfred could be a waterbender, or an earthbender as well.”

“ _He_ could be the avatar.”

“Yes!”

Tim couldn’t help but smile as he watched the little demon excitedly blabber about the various bending techniques and try to perform some of the tricks himself, playing pretend with the imaginary bending powers.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think.
> 
> Tumblr: @daminwayne


End file.
